


After the Fall

by Mischiefs_Hawk



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Implied Gellert Grindelwald/Newt Scamander - Freeform, Implied Newt Scamander/Albus Dumbledore, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Not Canon Compliant - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter), Post Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2019-10-05 13:30:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17325911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mischiefs_Hawk/pseuds/Mischiefs_Hawk
Summary: Newt Scamander has devastating news for an incarcerated Gellert Grindelwald. They will have their revenge.





	1. Chapter 1

Gellert Grindelwald could not say the last time someone had come to visit him at Nurmengard. Sometimes someone from the IWC came by to ensure he wasn’t up to anything but based off the whispers he heard echoing from the guards, his visitor was not the normal kind. 

“Did you hear-?”

“The Magizoologist-”

“-wrote that book,”

“Fantastic and strange guy-”

“Where to find them.” 

Gellert turned to face the doorway to his cell. Even as old and destroyed as he was, he could still recognize the chaotic frenzy of Newt Scamander’s magic. When the man did appear, Grindelwald noted with some discomfort that age had not taken Scamander’s beauty. 

The man still sported the bright blue coat, but had no case in sight. Why would he bring it here, after all?

On the other side of the cell’s grate, Scamander gave a wordless greeting before conjuring a chair and seating down. His gaze was like fire, burning into Grindelwald’s very soul. 

“Albus is dead- one of his professors betrayed him.” The simple sentence sent shockwaves through Grindelwald. Feeling more energized then he had in decades, the German moved to as close to the thin metal gate separating him from the Magizoologist. 

“When?” 

“Last week,” Scamander studied him for a moment, as if he was thinking something through. “What would you do, if you weren’t in here?” 

Without a moment’s hesitation, Gellert answered truthfully. 

“I’d kill the man who betrayed Albus.” This seemed to be what Newton was looking for, the Magizoologist glanced behind him to ensure no guards were nearby watching him. 

Slipping one hand into his coat, Newt pulled out a familiar wand. It was Albus’ from before- before he defeated Gellert and took the Elder wand. How in the hell had Newton fucking Scamander gotten it?

“I know you loved Albus as much as I did, probably more. I expect if I give you this, you could do more and help that snake-faced bastard but I don’t think you will.” 

Newton pushed the wand through to Gellert “Wait until I’m gone and earn your repentance for Albus.” 

Scamander didn’t say another word before he left. Gellert put the wand before the thin sliver of light from the small window in his cell. He knew this wand, and it knew him. It could feel his ever present love for Albus and practically writhed with anticipation for its revenge. 

Albus Dumbledore had been killed and Gellert Grindelwald would not stand for it. Albus was his- even locked way in this cold grimey hell that fact had never changed. Scamander’s news and help was a surprise but still. 

First things first, the German thought, time to escape. And, for the first time since his imprisonment in 1945 Gellert Grindelwald grinned.


	2. Chapter 2

With a wand in hand, it was easy to break out of Nurmengard. If it was partially because the caster of the wards had died- making them weaker- well, Gellert didn’t think about that. 

 

He waited a day after Scamander left, studying the wards placed around Nurmengard. Albus, of course, had done the utmost to keep Grindelwald in place. But, with as determined as Gellert was now to escape, something he’d never been before, the wards broke easily. 

 

The few guards placed to watch him easily fell before him, a simple sleeping spell had them all unconscious. No needless killing. They’d wake in a few hours and by then Gellert would be long gone. 

 

Before leaving the castle proper, Gellert slipped into what had once been his bedroom. 

 

A long long time ago, when Gellert still thought he could change the world. Many of the things remaining in the room were tattered beyond repair. Layers of dust covered everything, everything the same way he’d left it before the duel. 

 

It was odd to see- it was so different but in his mind’s eye he could still clearly see it has it had been. He saw the bed, blankets brushed off the sides in a tangle of limbs. The few days he’d been able to keep the Magizoologist had been exhausting, to say the least. In the end, Gellert had to let Newton go. 

 

No one could keep a man like Newt Scamander in a cage for long. Not even Gellert Grindelwald. 

 

He could still recall the heat of their shared bodies, both of them too exhausted to move. Newt’s sweaty curls and how they felt under his touch. 

 

The promises Gellert made, that Albus would join them, that together all three of them would change the world. Words that Gellert had meant at the time, but in the end all empty. Albus never came, he let Newt go and he’d lost the duel. 

 

It wasn’t time to dwell on the past, he’d spent the last fifty years repenting his actions. Now, now was the time to act. 

 

Next to the bed was a wardrobe, a simple flick of Albus’s wand opened it to reveal clothes long past their prime. Black, dusty and filled with holes from moths. 

 

He could fix some of it, wear a cloak hide his face until he could buy better clothes. Thankfully, he had hidden enough gold in enough different places that some of it should still be there. 

 

As he mended an outfit, Gellert decided to be inconspicuous would be better then go out in full dark lord regalia. It wasn’t Gellert Grindelwald, dark lord who was returning to wreak havoc and all that nonsense. No, it was just Gellert, the one-time love of Albus Dumbledore. 

 

Once clothed, cleaned and with a good sum of money in his pocket- Gellert left Nurmengard. Walking out the gates was odd, to say the least. It was something he never thought he would do. 

 

After being defeated by Albus, he felt defeated in more ways than one. His goals- his ambitions were defeated too. He hadn’t fought against the Aurors who threw him in his cell. He’d accepted it. 

 

Now, more than half a century later he was leaving. He was breathing in fresh air, and while his desire to destroy the statute wasn’t very present, he did feel just as passionate for his new goal. 

 

To avenge his husband. 

 

He needed to do research first, though. He needed to find out the circumstances of Albus death- who murdered him and ensure the murderer suffered. 

 

He apparated away, leaving the Austrian soil not caring if it was for the last time. 

\----

Despite that others thought he was rather dim; Harry knew something was wrong the moment there was a knock on his aunt and uncle’s door. He knew the Order wasn’t extracting him for another week, so there was no reason for a wizard to be there. Especially one he didn’t know who practically vibrated with dark magic. 

 

Before Harry could stop her, his aunt Petunia was opening the door with her stereotypical smile she presented to strangers. That was until she noticed the wand in his hand, and it was replaced with a pointed and annoyed look. 

 

“May I speak to Harry Potter?” 

 

For whatever reason- an imperio? – his aunt moved out of the way and allowed the strange wizard inside. 

 

He was older, he looked about Professor Dumbledore’s age. He wore very stylish robes, black and blue in color but nothing like the over the top way of Dumbledore. 

 

The man eyed him, and the young Wizard noted his different colored eyes. One icy blue and the other as equally intense in its inky blackness. 

 

Keeping one hand on his wand, Harry suggested to Petunia that she, Vernon and Dudley go out for a while. 

 

And for the first time in Harry’s memory- the tall thin woman listened to him and once the three muggles were gone, Harry straight up asked if the man was a Death Eater. 

 

The stranger, who up until then had been studying the pictures around the house, gave a short laugh at that. 

 

“Not at all, though if I were you would certainly be at my mercy. The wards around this place are abysmal.” 

 

“You mean the love spell?” 

 

The man rolled his eyes at that, mumbling something that Harry couldn’t quite make out. 

 

“I’m here to ensure your survival long enough to achieve your goal and to avenge your Professor.” 

 

Harry narrowed his eyes, his wand out but not pointed outward. 

 

“Why? Who are you? If you were on Dumbledore’s side where have you been till now?” 

 

The wizard gave an odd smile- something more like a smirk. 

 

“My name is Gellert Grindelwald.”

 

And they had work to do. 

\----

Later, when the Order did make an appearance none of them really knew what make of the scene before them. 

 

Hanging above the Dursley home was a sign few people recognized. A triangle with a circle and a line through it- the Deathly Hallows. 

 

Waiting for them when they apparated outside the home, a voice boomed around them. Audible to all regardless of magical blood. 

 

“Let it here be known to all- Witch, Wizard or muggle that I, Gellert Grindelwald, Dark Lord have taken Harry James Potter, Hermione Jean Granger and Ronald Bilius Weasley under my protection. This is for the Greater Good.” 

 

The older Wizards dropped their jaws at this, the few who could remember the time before Voldemort- the time when Grindelwald and his army seemed to be mere steps away from claiming the world before Albus Dumbledore defeated him. 

 

“Sorry- I thought Grindelwald was dead?” Tonks murmured, eyeing her husband questioningly who seemed to be more ragged looking then ever at the combination of his lost pup and his now pregnant wife. 

 

“He’s been imprisoned in Austria since Dumbledore beat him,” Mad-Eye grumbled walking into the house and past the muggles living there. 

 

Why in God’s name did Grindelwald break out only to protect Harry and his friends? Why hadn’t he joined up with Voldemort? 

 

What were they missing?

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took forever. It's been a lot of fun, though. 
> 
> If you like what I do, consider buying me a coffee http://ko-fi.com/D1D06I0X

**Author's Note:**

> Newt Scamander doesn't take anyone's shit- especially not Dumbledore's after his death lol


End file.
